Boeing will need to inspect all of its 737 MAX airplanes: The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered Boeing to inspect all of the planes for a defect that occurred during manufacturing. Workers had ground away too much of the planes' metal foil in the engine pods. The defect makes the planes more susceptible to a lightning strike.
It turns out paid family leave is a popular idea: Washington State's new family leave program is hot! The program, which went live in 2020, allows workers 12 weeks of paid leave for the birth or adoption of a child or if the worker or a family member is ill. You get 16 weeks if both are happening to you. Around 10,000 people have been processed currently. But 30,000 have applied. That's triple the projected amount. Who would've thought! Anyway, the state is lagging, and it may take 10 weeks for people to get processed right now. That lag time is expected to get better as the year goes on.
This does not instill confidence: President Donald Trump keeps spreading falsities about the coronavirus. He doesn't even know how to spell it right. Since it made the stock market tank, the virus has become his new enemy number one it seems. Let's also not forget that Trump has cut funding to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and hobbled pandemic response in the country. He will be hosting a press conference at 3 p.m. PST.
Low Ratings Fake News MSDNC (Comcast) & @CNN are doing everything possible to make the Caronavirus look as bad as possible, including panicking markets, if possible. Likewise their incompetent Do Nothing Democrat comrades are all talk, no action. USA in great shape! @CDCgov.....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2020
And the coronavirus is spreading wider and wider: From Italy, the virus has now spread to six other European countries. For the first time since the virus appeared, there are now more new cases being reported outside China than inside China. Globally, there are more than 80,000 infected and 3,000 dead from the virus. Austria, Croatia, France, Germany, Greece, Spain, and Switzerland now have coronavirus cases.
Coronavirus reaches Latin America: A Brazilian who visited Italy has the virus. He is now in Brazil. Officials are trying to track down who was on his flight with him.
King County approves free low-income transit: King County residents at or below 80 percent of the federal poverty level—equivalent to $21,000 in annual income for a family of four—will get ORCA LIFT cards loaded with a pass that covers their fare for all King County Metro transit options.
A Pioneer Square shooting: Two people were taken to the hospital with non-serious injuries after a shooting in Pioneer Square last night.
Maria Sharapova puts down the racket: The 32-year-old tennis champion announced her retirement in a Vogue article.
We report that Maria Sharapova is retiring from pro tennis at age 32. Not weary of the game but tired of fighting her body. Once No. 1, she won 5 Slam singles titles & earned tens of millions on & off the court. By force of will & personality she was one of the game’s true stars pic.twitter.com/7C4KCwEsOX
— Christopher Clarey (@christophclarey) February 26, 2020
Not super relevant, but have you seen Maria Sharapova's house? It's crazy. She loves art and concrete.
How dare they! Costco is going to start cracking down on nonmembers eating in the store's food court. Apparently, that's always been a rule but it hasn't been enforced a ton. That will change come March. Get those cheap jumbo hot dogs while you can, comrades.
Seems like today's weather may be more of the same: Which is absolutely fine with me. Maybe your commute was a bit drizzly, though?
About to start your morning commute? It's a bit drizzly & foggy across portions of the Sound this AM. Make sure to give yourself a little extra time to get to your destination. #WAwx pic.twitter.com/appCcN9l5G
— NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) February 26, 2020
Grandfather who dropped granddaughter from cruise ship window changes plea: He allegedly lifted his toddler granddaughter up to the 11th-floor window of a Royal Caribbean cruise ship so she could knock on the glass. The window was open. The girl slipped from his hands and fell to her death. He originally pleaded not guilty to a negligent homicide charge but is going to change the plea to guilty to satisfy a plea deal that will get him no jail time.
Sanders was the target last night: Chase's debate coverage in PM was pretty thorough last night. I'll do my best to add some new stuff. What remained true throughout was how his competition saw Bernie Sanders: as a threat. He joked about it. “I’m hearing my name mentioned a little bit tonight,” Sanders said. “I wonder why.” Maybe the only snipe at the Vermont senator that landed was one by Pete Buttigieg about how Sanders supported the education and health care system under Fidel Castro's 1960s Cuba.
Warren got some free merch: Mike Bloomberg was not unscathed during the debate. Other Democrats seem to have a general distaste for him. Maybe it's the racist policies, the alleged sexual misconduct, or the former Republican thing, but boy, he does not have many friends on that stage. Especially in Elizabeth Warren. She questioned Bloomberg again about nondisclosure agreements. He responded, "The trouble is with this senator, enough is never enough." Warren's campaign put it on a T-shirt.
Uncle Joe continues to have a rough time: Joe Biden claims to have worked on 2016 Paris climate deal with Chinese leader who died in 1997.
Guess who tuned in to the Democratic debate last night? I'll give you a hint. He really loves nicknames.
....during a debate). Pocahontas was mean, & undisciplined, mostly aiming at Crazy Bernie and Mini Mike. They don’t know how to handle her, but I know she is a “chocker”. Steyer was a disaster who, along with Mini, are setting records in $’s per vote. Just give me an opponent!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 26, 2020
Woman allegedly zipped boyfriend into a suitcase and left him there: For hours. He died. She is now facing murder charges.
You can bet your ass I'll be reading this today: What happened to the students caught up in the college admissions scandal?
Today's best entertainment options are: Daniel Schnyder's Charlie Parker opera Yardbird, a show with groovy French band Papooz, and a talk about Sound Transit’s Fight to Save the Light Rail. See more on our EverOut Things To Do calendar.